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What's your prediction regarding tourism levels for summer 2021?
Everything we are reading, says it will be a very healthy recovery, especially for seaside destinations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Leisure tourism, inclusive of hotels, resorts, restaurants, local shops, rental cars and pretty much anything involving a vacation destination, is expected to increase based on recent media reports. According to the U.S. Travel Association, Americans will spend $541 billion in leisure travel over the course of the 2021 year. While that number is down from the $681 billion in 2019, it’s well above the $450 billion from 2020.
People have cabin fever
“People have cabin fever — even more so this year. They want to travel, just not far,” said Evan Smith, chief executive of Discover Newport, who is planning to target consumers from drive-by 
markets as far away as Washington, D.C., and Maine in his upcoming advertising campaign. During Summer 2020, many travelers didn’t want to board a plane, nor stray far from home. With 30 million people within a four-hour drive of Newport, the city became a desirable destination for a day trip or weekend getaway as the economy began to reopen.
markets as far away as Washington, D.C., and Maine in his upcoming advertising campaign. During Summer 2020, many travelers didn’t want to board a plane, nor stray far from home. With 30 million people within a four-hour drive of Newport, the city became a desirable destination for a day trip or weekend getaway as the economy began to reopen.As of early March, at least 70 million people in America have received one dose of the vaccine, and new coronavirus cases and deaths have begun to fall, giving the country reasons to feel optimistic, according to the Washington Post. Kyle Potter, editor of Thrifty Traveler, says “There’s some certainty that people are going to be able to travel and do fun things again at some point in 2021.”
Travel industry is gearing up
As a result, the travel industry appears to be gearing up for a big summer season. The early evidence, from traffic patterns and bookings are pointing towards a significant rebound i
s coming. The Connecticut shoreline emerged as a travel destination during summer 2020 as flights were cancelled in lieu of road trips. Visitors are booking longer stays and doing more frequent day trips than in previous years according to Cape Cod Reopening Task Force. Traffic over some of New England's busiest bridges are recording 2% increased traffic flow over 2019. Rhode Island, The Berkshires and Nantucket made Travel & Leisure's Top 50 Places to Travel in 2021.
s coming. The Connecticut shoreline emerged as a travel destination during summer 2020 as flights were cancelled in lieu of road trips. Visitors are booking longer stays and doing more frequent day trips than in previous years according to Cape Cod Reopening Task Force. Traffic over some of New England's busiest bridges are recording 2% increased traffic flow over 2019. Rhode Island, The Berkshires and Nantucket made Travel & Leisure's Top 50 Places to Travel in 2021.That's the good news, but there's a gap - staffing.
All these articles and statistics represent good news, especially for our seaside restaurants, shops and tourist attractions...right? The onslaught of summer visitors translates to heightened seasonal staffing needs for these hospitality businesses. Now's the time to start examining your staffing needs. But finding help can be a difficult and challenging task during the pandemic. According to NPR, with millions out of a job, some businesses are left wondering: Why can't I find workers? Job posting service, Indeed, said that job posts are back to pre-pandemic levels. The problem is the remote vs. in-person gap.
Many American workers seeking work are desiring remote positions. ZipRecruiter's marketplace is currently showing only 1 in 10 positions being offered for remote work.Absenteeism is also a significant factor. According to Daily Gist, vice president of R&D for Newell Co in Massachusetts, in a recent WSJ article, he said, "Absenteeism is two to three times higher than normal levels as workers stay home either because they are infected, have potential Covid symptoms, or because they have come in contact with an infected person."
What should a hospitality business do now?
Get prepared now. Here's a 5 Point Readiness Guide [free download] specifically for businesses affected by the summer leisure tourism industry. You'll learn...
- Which elements of your business need your attention right now
- How to execute a straight forward plan that will ensure a good first impression.
Understanding upcoming national trends within the tourism industry, while keeping a pulse within your local market is important. Here's a list of local tourism boards offering free newsletter subscriptions. Encourage your business leaders to sign up.
Rhode Island - https://www.visitrhodeisland.com/travel-trade/
Massachusetts - https://www.visitma.com/about/
Connecticut - https://www.ctvisit.com/
Be prepared, well in advance. Hospitality centric businesses depend on the influx of optimistic warm-weather visitors. Here at System4 IPS, we take the time to understand your personalized and timely needs. Our proven systems ensure our customers' workspaces are safe, clean, disinfected and well staffed.
We specialize in staffing our clients with day porters, evening janitorial service, carpet cleaning, pre-event set up & post-event clean up, and room & unit turns.
If you have experienced a COVID-19 singular case or outbreak amongst your staff or at your facility, call System4 IPS and schedule your disinfection service today. Our team listens to your needs, requirements, and timing. See our many satisfied customer testimonials and public Google ratings.
